Fated
by Dragoncl
Summary: It's been four years since Kushina left Konoha. With the war at its peak, all hope of finding her is gone. And with rumors of a mysterious army forming, Minato is thrown into a battle that could decide the fate of the war. Sequel to 'Prophecy' Hiatus
1. Goodbyes

Hi! I'm back! I finally got the first chapter up. This is the sequel to 'Prophecy' and the second in the Oracle trilogy. I suggest any new readers read the first one before you read this. You could probably get away with not reading it, but this will make more sense if you read the first one. I'm sorry this chapter is really short. I'll get to the plot in the next chapter. Also this contains spoliers for the Kakashi Gaiden arc. Anyway, thanks to everyone who supported me in 'Prophecy'. I hope you all enjoy this! As always, constructive critisims are welcome.

**Ages**

Minato- (P)17 (F) 21

Kushina- (P)16 (F)20

Kakashi- (P)5 (F)10 [I kind of butchered his age and didn't realize it until I started planning this. Oops! Pretend he was just about to turn 6 in 'prophecy']

Aiko- (P)12 (F) 16

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Fated

Chapter 1: Goodbyes

The day was grey.

That was the only way to describe it really. It seemed as if all the rain had finally washed all the colors away, leaving the dull grey color. Everything was just a different shade of grey.

Brushing his sodden bangs out of his eyes for what felt like the hundredth time, Minato looked at the two shinobi in front of him, his former students. He didn't need anyone to point out the empty space the group unconsciously made. His sharp eyes noticed the girl's quivering shoulders as she tried to hold back her tears. The white-haired boy just stood as still as death, grey eyes gazing intently at the polished black stone before them, slick with rain.

The group around the Hero's Stone was small. Most of the shinobi that would have attended the funeral were away on missions, and only a few of the closest of the deceased's family dared to venture out into the clearing while the war persisted. Only a few people dared to break the silence cast over the group, in reverence for the dead and in fear of drawing an attack. The war had escalated since they had killed Jun, the leader of the Earth country's military.

Sighing lightly in frustration, Minato blinked the wet locks out of his eyes again. The boy tuned back to look at him with his one visible eye, the other hidden under his slanted headband. The blond felt his heart constrict. Kakashi had to be the one suffering the most from their teammate's death. Not only had the young Uchiha died protecting the prodigy, but the preteen now had to live with a reminder of that for the rest of his life. The boy had finally been opening up more than he ever had since his father's suicide. This recent tragedy was only going to bring him back to square one.

"Something wrong, Sensei,"Kakashi questioned under his breath. Minato almost laughed at that. The fact that their group of four had been diminished to three was enough of a clue. The boy's tone told he obviously wasn't interested in the answer. No one wanted it to be said, because saying it would mean it was real, that it had happened. The entire funeral had seemed like kind of dream and no one was willing to bring everyone back to reality.

"It's nothing Kakashi." The boy's gaze stayed on him for a second longer before he shrugged and returned to staring at the memorial. The Hokage stood on the platform, scratching the name into the rock's glossy surface, another to the already growing list. Minato felt his stomach turn as he noticed how new many of the carvings were. At this rate Konoha wouldn't have anymore shinobi to fight this war. The only consolation was that Iwagakure was also suffering major losses.

The old official turned to look at the crowd and sighed, taking a draft from his pipe which had miraculously survived the rain. "Today, we are here to honor the memory of someone who truly deserves to have his name placed on this stone. It did not matter who or what, Obito Uchiha was willing to help anyone that needed it, no matter the cost to himself. He understood the true meaning of courage that so many of us have forgotten. Courage is not about being brave, but about facing your fears. Obito understood that even at such a young age..

"I know I am not alone in saying that he died far before his time. We expected great things from him. It is a shame to not see him reach his potential." The Hokage paused for a moment and the pattering of rain was the only sound. "Let us honor him." The old man gently placed a white flower next to the picture of the smiling boy below the stone. Family stepped forward and did the same. The line filed toward the stone, each person silently praying for the dead.

Rin placed her flower with Kakashi, and the dam finally broke. Tears poured down her face and sobs wracked her body. Startled, the white-haired boy hesitantly placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. A sob escaped her mouth and she threw her arms around his neck, crying into his shoulder. The boy patted her back hesitantly. Several of the Uchiha clan's members rushed over and tried to soothe the girl.

The rest of the funeral passed by in a blur, and soon most of the group had left. Seeing his students had left, Minato stood by the stone, hand absently sliding over the names. He looked at his fingers and rubbed the grains left over from the engraving between his thumb and forefinger. Sighing heavily, his blue eyes trailed over the list. Faces and memories swam before his vision as other names he recognized jumped off the stone. He focused on one name off to the side. Ryou Daiki. A bittersweet smile pulled at the man's lips as fond memories flooded his vision: the time at the Academy when Ryou had 'accidently' set the teacher's desk on fire; afternoon's spent in the woods outside of Konoha, testing their skill against each other;. teasing each other over having a crush on the town's sweetheart; the first mission they went on together after becoming chuunins; the time spent in the hospital after one of his experimental justus or one of Ryou's new medicines had gone wrong; carrying Ryou home when he had to much to drink with Jiraiya; listening and trying to pretend he didn't know them when Ryou and Kushina had one of their fights. The list never seemed to end.

A soothing chakra rolled over him and he glanced over his shoulder. Jiraiya was watching him, dark eyes serious. Seeing his former student had noticed him, the sage trotted over. "Quite a week wasn't it?" The man's voice was light, but the undertone was sympathetic. "I'm guessing it's a good thing a brought some sake. It looks like you seriously need some." The famous blond looked up and smiled thankfully at his teacher. The white-haired Sannin grinned at him, holding out a bottle of sake and two cups.

"More than you know." He gratefully took the tiny glass and took a sip of the offered liqueur. The drink burned as it went down his throat and settled in his stomach, casting off the chill that the rain had settled over him. The grin faded from Jiraiya's face as the man sat down on the grey stone around the Hero's Stone.

"I know what it feels like to lose a student, Minato. You feel like it's all your fault, that you shouldn't have had them in that situation or should of prepared them better." The man took a swig from his own cup and smiled softly at his former student. "I saw them Minato. You couldn't have trained them better. Don't beat yourself up over it. It's not going to bring him back. All we can do is train them as much and as well as we can and hope for the best. There's nothing else you can do."

The blond looked at his teacher for a moment before smiling darkly and taking another sip of sake. "Is that supposed to make me feel better, Sensei?" The hermit chuckled.

"Not really. It's the truth though. There's no point in beating yourself up about something you had no control over. You're smart enough to know that." The older man watched the blond, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "But that's not what's bothering you, or at least not all of it." Minato chuckled. Of course the man would figure it out soon enough. He wasn't a legendary ninja for nothing. Though most people thought otherwise, Jiraiya wasn't an idiot. There were times, such as this, when he revealed just how wise he really was. He had earned his title and all it meant.

"No, it's not." Minato sat down and leaned his head against the cold stone, all worries about possible attacks gone. "I can't help feeling how similar this was to my own experience with the Stone. Girl gets kidnaped by enemy, friends go to save her, one friend dies. Except, I'm in Kakashi's shoes and don't know what to do." The sage didn't saw anything, but took a slow, thoughtful sip from his cup. "It's been four years now and I haven't heard a word from her. I don't even know if she's alive!" Jiraiya sighed deeply and mimicked the blond's position.

"So go look for her." Minato turned to stare at his teacher as if he had grown five heads.

"What?" The Sannin sighed and shook his head, grumbling about stupid students.

"Go. Look. For. Her. It's not like she suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth or something. She's gotta be somewhere."

"I can't just leave Konoha. We don't have enough shinobi as it is! How can you expect me to just leave?"

"You don't have to leave. You're on enough missions outside of the nation as it is. It won't hurt to just ask around once in while. Someone's bound to know something. With that girl's looks and attitude, I'm sure someone bound to remember her." Minato glared coolly at the sage as the man's eyes took on a perverted gleam. "What's stopping you? Plus, she could probably help us. There aren't many people who can keep up with you." A grin cracked the man's face, and Minato sighed.

"I have a feeling, finding her isn't going to be that easy. This is Kushina we're talking about after all." This time both men laughed at the memory of the fiery redhead. Jiraiya shrugged and took another swig of sake, smacking his lips in content.

"Can't hurt can it? Anything that can get you out of the slump you've been in since she left. I've been meaning to ask if you were suffering from withdrawal." The white-haired man deftly dodged the punch and jumped to his feet.

"You know it's not like that, Sensei." The blond stood up and glanced at his teacher ruefully.

"But I can dream can't I?" A grin split the man's face as he chuckled as the blond frowned. The older man's face suddenly sobered and a heavy hand landed on his student's shoulder. "Lighten up alright? The gods know things can only get better now. I make sure to ask around next time I'm on the road. We'll find her eventually." A smiled pulled at the Sannin's lips. "Now, the best way to get over a death is with a celebratory toast. I just so happen to know the perfect place."

Shaking his head and getting water down his shirt, the blond couldn't help but smile. His sensei always found a way to take his mind off his troubles. It might not be in the most conventional way, but what in his life had ever been normal? "Thank you, Sensei." The older man just slung his arm around his companion's and lead him toward the village.

" No problem. You can thank me by treating tonight!" The blond groaned good-naturedly, but nodded an affirmative. About to leave the clearing, Minato turned back to face the Hero's Stone. Dipping his head reverently, the man silently said goodbye to his student. With a quiet pop, both men disappeared.


	2. Onward

Hi! Sorry for the wait! Life seems to be against me right now. -_- I'm so happy for a week off from school! Anyway, we finally get to see the plot! Yeah! Plese tel me if Kakashi seems OOc. I'm trying to combine his personality before Obito's death and the personality afterwards. Hopefully, I'll get the next chapter written by the end of the week. I've got a good amoutn of homework so the odds of me writing while I'm procrastinatiing are good. You can tell how much I **love** school right? :)

Discalimer: I don't own Naruto or its characters. I only own Ocs and plot. Enjoy!

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Chapter 2:Onward

Minato felt adrenaline pump through his veins, making any weariness vanish.

Silently thanking his body for the extra boost, the blond frowned in concentration. Taking a deep breath, he stared at his outstretched palm. He felt his dwindling chakra flow down his arm and out of his hand. Twisting the invisible energy with his will, he pushed more chakra into it, adding more power to the flow. Within seconds, a perfect sphere of glowing energy sat in his hand.

His frown deepened as the sphere constricted and the swirling chakra fought to be free of its constraints. Minato easily squashed down any resistance and brought his other hand over the tiny ball. With the chakra under control, he powered his remaining energy toward his free hand. Wind whispered over his skin and he bit his lip. The blond slowly pressed his hands together, melding the two forms of chakra manipulation together. He felt the Rasengan hitch as it resisted the new energy. "C'mon," he urged it, gritting his teeth as he felt the jutsu try to break. "Just a little more." The barrier keeping the wild power in control stretched as blades of wind tried to form.

A grin broke the man's serious expression. His concentration weakened, the chakra fought with new strength and the sphere rapidly expanded. "No!" The sphere cracked and all the built up chakra dispersed in a mini-tornado. Grunting as the wind picked up and lashed at him, Minato shielded his face with his arm. The energy dissipated and the windstorm disappeared.

Bringing his arm down, the man surveyed the damage. A few of the surrounding trees looked a little tilted and the grass around him had been torn out. Leaves fluttered down to the ground, ripped from their branches. Sighing heavily, Minato straightened his rumpled clothes and bent to gather the notebook he had placed at the trunk of a tree. "What's wrong? Why won't it work?" Flipping through the pages, his blue eyes scanned the endless list of neatly written notes.

"Sensei?" The infamous shinobi looked up, startled to find his youngest student watching him, leaning casually against a tree.

"Kakashi? What are you doing here?" For a moment the boy looked indecisive, but it was gone so quickly that Minato wondered if it had really been there. The prodigy straightened and met his teacher squarely in the eye.

" You were wrong, Sensei. I _can_ use the Chidori. It's not an incomplete jutsu, not anymore." The blond had to stop himself from chuckling. Typical Kakashi. He didn't beat around the bush did he? He settled for a frown though. The boy had been devastated when he had told him that the jutsu wasn't safe. It was only a matter of time until the orphan tried to prove him wrong. Eh had been expecting this confrontation for a while now.

"You remember what I told you?" A slight nod from the prodigy was his only answer. "Then you understand why it's dangerous. Unless you can find a way to see your opponent's counterattacks in time to retaliate, it's incomplete and just as dangerous to you as it is to your opponent. You shouldn't be taking unnecessary risks, Kakashi. We need as many shinobi as we can get right now."

"And if I did find a way?" The steely gaze was on him again, boring into his soul for the answer. Minato paled. He knew what this was leading up to. He just didn't know if he should allow it. The Uchiha clad hadn't been happy about someone outside of the family having their precious trait. It wasn't too hard to guess how they would react if the boy suddenly started using the biological weapon. Plus, the blond didn't know if the boy was ready for this yet. He didn't know if _he_ was ready fro this yet. It had only been less than two weeks since Obito's death.

"The Sharingan," the man asked, trying to keep the hurt out of his voice. The possibilities were boundless if the white-haired preteen could master it though. He wasn't about to stop his student from progressing in his skills. The stronger he got, the more likely he was to survive this war. "Will it work? Can it get rid of the tunnel-vision?" The prodigy didn't answer, but his gaze was strong and unwavering. The blond felt pride swell within him. "Fine then. Show me."

A raised eyebrow was the only sign that the boy had heard him. Minato noted it though. It seemed the boy hadn't closed himself off again, as the infamous shinobi had thought he would. In fact, the preteen seemed to be opening up more. It was slow, but four years was a long time together and with the man was always watching for any signs of the depressed child he had taken under his wing to resurface, it was easy to spot.

Without any warning, the boy disappeared. A lazy grin slipping over his lips, Minato pulled a kunai from the holster attached to his thigh and twisted. Metal clashed as the two kunai met, shaking as their owners struggled for superiority. It had been forever since he had had a friendly spar. Guilt churned the blond's stomach for picking a fight, but he told himself that this was good for both of them. After all, it was better to let it out in a safe environment rather then when the mission or your life depended on your focus. It felt good to not have to think about how to kill the person in front of him for once, and just enjoy the challenge. The tension over the last two weeks had been stifling. Now, he could just let his body act and react.

Minato quickly checked his chakra levels. All the training and the experimenting he had been doing with the Rasengan had used up a good deal of his chakra. A quick glance showed that Kakashi had more chakra at his disposal than the blond had thought. His brain went to work, formulating a way to avoid the expected attack without exhausting his reserves.

Dropping to the ground on his back, he let the boy's momentum carry him forward. Kakashi easily began to regain his balance, but the blond grabbed his wrist and pulled the small, light body forward. With the boy's body over his, Minato bent his legs and used his feet to propel the boy away from him. The preteen twisted gracefully and landed in a crouch, annoyance clear in his stance.

Shuriken held snugly between his fingers, Kakashi let them fly, charging at his opponent as soon as the weapons left his hand. Minato easily blocked the projectiles. Fishing another kunai from his pouch, he blocked the direct attack from the boy. He froze as the body vanished and electricity crackled from the clone. A grin split Minato's lips. He hadn't even seen the hand signs. A hand suddenly grabbed his ankle and he cursed himself for being so careless. Ripping the limb away from the disembodied hand, his fingers mashed together as he conjured a tornado. The fierce wind tore up the earth hiding Kakashi, revealing the white-haired prodigy.

Eye trained on the man, the boy jumped away from another attack and tossed a kunai at his teacher. While the blond was distracted, the boy quickly preformed the required hand seals and felt electricity move under his fingers, ready to be fired at his opponent. Minato was faster however, and the shifting air currents that suddenly formed around the preteen made it impossible for the jutsu to take form.

"Sorry, Kakashi. It's not going to be that easy to get me." The man smiled. "How about we finish this? Let's see how well made that jutsu is." The blond moved into a defensive stance, knowing what was coming. The prodigy didn't disappoint. Hands flew together in a complicated pattern even the yellow-haired genius had trouble following. Lightening flickered to life around his hand and the soft blue glow of chakra cast deep shadows over his features. Using his free hand, Kakashi slid his slanted headband back into place. A pang made Minato catch his breath.

A red, jagged line split the boy's eyelid in half. Rin had done as much as she could to heal the tissue, but the deep scar would always remain, a reminder of the event. With languid slowness, the boy opened his eyes halfway. Then, with a flash, the eye was completely open and the blood-red Uchiha lineage stared back at him. The next moment, the preteen was charging at him. The chakra around his hand screeched and Minato winced at the sound. Chidori was definitely an appropriate name.

Tensing as his opponent neared, the Yellow Flash carefully watched the deadly limb. The deadly chakra brushed his shoulder as he rolled out of the way, searing the cloth and warming his skin. Mid-turn, the man tossed a shuriken at the boy, making sure that it wouldn't cause any serious damage if it did hit its target. The caution was unneeded though, as the young jounin pivoted on his heel and ducked beneath the weapon. The Sharingan had definitely gotten rid of the dangerous tunnel-vision.

The blond was pulled from his inspection as the boy charged at him again. Mouth thinning in concentration, Minato waited for the next attack, weighing his options. If he used any jutsu, Kakashi would be able to read it and copy the move with ease, not to mention it would diminish his already low reserves. He couldn't face the attack head on without getting singed, something he hoped to avoid. Then, there was his third option.

His former student easily dodged the next kunai. He plunged his hand at the infamous nin only to find that the man's form blurred and vanished altogether. Recognizing the attack from years of training with Konoha's Yellow Flash, Kakashi turned and struck out. The boy's eyes widened as his hand was stopped mid-attack. Chakra clashed as student and teacher faced off. The swirling colors of Rasengan and the harsh light of Chidori vied for control. Sweat rolled down the white-haired boy's face as he frowned.

"Don't try it, Kakashi. Once I add more chakra into the Rasengan, your Chidori won't last. I can sustain a Rasengan for as long as I need to. The same can't be said for your Chidori. Don't push yourself so far during training." Minato's tone was stern and his blue eyes glared with authority as he looked down at the small boy. With one defiant glare, Kakashi dropped the jutsu and covered his implanted eye.

"So?" The boy's tone was gruff, frustration lightly coloring his tone. Minato hid a smile. The boy never did like losing, even if it was to his teacher.

"That's quiet a jutsu you've created, Kakashi. Once you've fully mastered it, I have no doubt it will be one of the strongest." The blond ran a hand through his sweat-saturated hair. "Just be careful when you use it alright? The Sharingan doesn't completely protect you from attacks while you use it." The boy nodded his understanding, and Minato trusted the boy enough to not need to warn him twice. "So what was it that _really_ came here to tell me?"

"The Lord Hokage wants to see us," the boy-genius said nonchalantly with a shrug. The blond looked up from where he had started to gather his things.

"What!" Kakashi looked unfazed and just waited for the man to finish stuffing his scrolls and things in his pack. "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" Another noncommital shrug was his answer as the boy turned back toward the village. Shaking his head and not finding it in himself to get mad at the boy, Minato grabbed his ex-student's shoulder and they both vanished with a soft pop.

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The old man smiled wryly as they entered . "You do realize that I'm old and I don't have much time left to be waiting for two errant shinobi." The Hokage's tone was rich with a mixture of humor and rebuke. Jiraiya leaned against the windowsill, waving in glee. The two shinobi bowed in respect, Minato shooting him an apologetic look.

"Forgive me, Lord Hokage. There was a girl who had lost her new dog and asked for my help." The two men looked at the boy disbelievingly. The Sannin chuckled at the boy. Minato frowned at the familiar excuse. Maybe Obito's death had taken a bigger toll on the boy than he anticipated. The lateness and casual attitude Kakashi had been exhibiting lately were oddly reminiscent of Obito, but he never thought the prodigy would take up his teammate's behavior. The old man just rolled his eyes and glanced upward, praying to whatever gods would listen.

"Very well. Shall we begin then?" With affirmative nods from the two Konoha nin, the Third ruffled through the pile of papers on his desk. "As you know, the Earth country has invaded our neighbor, the Grass country, and taken over Kusagakure. Your last mission at the Kannabi bridge delayed their movement, but the enemies troops are nearing our border. We have captured a stronghold inside the Grass's borders, but Iwa's troops are closing in on it and we do not have enough shinobi to hold them off. If they get past that stronghold, they will pass through our border.

"I am sending out another group to reenforce the hold. You two and Miss Rin will be part of this group. You'll be in charge of the second team, Namikaze. I have already notified the others. You will all meet tomorrow morning at dawn to leave. We will need people of with your talents in this fight." Serious grey eyes scanned the two shinobi. "This could decide the outcome of this war. Make sure that they do not cross our borders. Understood?" The lower ranked men nodded and turned to leave. "Namikaze? Could I speak with you for a moment?"

Kakashi paused for a second and glanced back at his elders before exiting. Minato waited until the door closed before frowning. "Is something wrong, Lord Hokage?" The Third sighed heavily and stiffly settled into his chair. Jiraiya smiled proudly at the blond.

"I'm old, Namikaze." He paused to hold up a hand, stopping any protest from the blond with humorous eyes. "No amount of protest will change that fact, Namikaze. So don't try." A smile made the man's lips twitch good-naturedly. "I am old and several of the Council members are starting to question my judgement. In other words, they believe me to be senile old fool, and I can't say I disagree with them." This time the smile took form on his face and he leaned back in his chair.

"I've decided that it's time I retire. I can't and don't plan to do this forever. I'm looking for a successor." Minato frowned, not sure where the man was going with his speech. "As you can imagine, I have several people in mind. I have already informed Jiraiya and Orochimaru that they are two of my possible choices." The Third motioned toward the Sennin.

" Of course, I decided that I wasn't up to the job. Too many restrictions and all, you know?" The white-haired shinobi grinned. " And Orochimaru has the brains and power for it, but he's a bit too ambitious for his own good." The man frowned as the words left his mouth.

" Which brings me to my third choice." Old eyes met blue and Minato felt his mouth drop in surprise.

"I'm sorry, sir, but you can't possibly mean...."

"You? Yes. I do." At the blond's incredulous expression, the old man smirked lightly. "You were first in your class and completed the course in one year, you have continually proved yourself out on the battlefield, your students are some of the best, and, most importantly, you care." The Sannin placed a proud hand on the blond's shoulder. "I have seen few people who care for the village and its people as you have. You have shown all the qualities of an excellent leader. Now, all I need is your consent to add you to list of hopefuls. What do you think?"

Minato gapped at the man, unsure what to say. All thought seemed to have stopped and he had to make sure he wasn't in some type of dream or illusion. When the world didn't suddenly disappear from under his feet of change, he swallowed loudly. "But....I," the blond cursed himself as his mouth refused to move. The Hokage just seemed to be enjoying the spectacle. After all, it took a lot to make the infamous Yellow Flash speechless.

"I understand. Think it over and give me your answer when you return. Just make sure you don't do anything stupid out there." The Third smiled widely chuckled. Minato felt a light blush color his face, and silently moaned. If there was one thing that he had learn after all his years as a shinobi, it was that fate loved to play with people's lives.


	3. Clues

Chapter 3: Clues

The morning was wet and chilly, the worst conditions for a long trip. Nevertheless, none of the jounin or chuunin complained as they left the security of Konoha and dove into the vast forest that separated them from their destination. Even away from the road, the group kept to the shadows without needing to be told to. The enemy may not have crossed their borders yet, but rumors had been going around about spies and mercenaries on the roads. Water sprinkled down past the leafy canopy above, though nowhere near as hard and chilling as it had been out in the open.

By the time noon rolled around, the Leaf nin were thoroughly soaked to the bone, tired, and all together miserable. Everyone's step had become weary and sluggish, each leap from a branch seeming to take all their energy as the rain chilled them. The light, whispered chats that had passed between friends in the group had disappeared and been replaced with silence. They were forced to avoid towns and take the long way around them instead of through them in order to avoid gaining too much attention. Overall, morale was low by the time they had crossed half the distance they had needed to.

Minato couldn't help but agree as one of the more outspoken shinobi used some rather choice words to describe how he felt about the mission. Rin blushed underneath her clan marks and he chuckled. Even Kakashi seemed offended by some of the language, but didn't say anything, probably also agreeing with the man. "I would appreciate it if you didn't use that language around some of the younger shinobi, Ryoichi," the blond warned the man with a quick glare. It was the foul-mouthed nin's turn to blush as those cool, blue eyes targeted him. With a click of his teeth, Ryoichi snapped his mouth shut and nodded wordlessly. He wasn't suicidal enough to try and pick a fight with the infamous Yellow Flash.

The blond sighed as he landed on a branch, only to immediately jump to the next one. His body had fallen into the rhythm two hours ago and was finally protesting at the continual use of certain muscles. Mid-flight he rummaged in his pouch and pulled out a solider pill and popped it in his mouth. A wave of fresh energy washed over him and he restrained himself from pulling to far ahead of the others. Beside him, Kakashi raised an elegant eyebrow in mockery which was answered by a pointed look. The boy just rolled his eyes and caught hold of the incoming branch, using it to spin and propel himself to the next tree. Minato felt envy bubble in his chest. He wished he was ten years-old again and able to stand hours of hard travel without getting tired. "_I sound like an old man_," he noticed begrudgingly. That was price one paid though for growing up. The once boundless energy had been changed into more refined skill and wisdom.

Deciding to stop his philosophical rambling, the man put his attention to the forest around them. Minato stretched his senses to their fullest, frowning as he didn't get the desired results. With the trees surrounding them becoming more alive during the rainfall, it was harder to detect a human's chakra in the large light that was the forest's energy. He pulled up the hood of his coat farther over his head as the wind tugged at the material and glanced back to make sure that everyone was still together. The group he was leading consisted of ten teams, the largest amount the Hokage could spare to held reinforced the hold. There would be another sixty or so shinobi waiting for them when they got to their destination. They were expecting to have around a hundred Leaf nin ready to protect the border if need be.

The blond frowned. It wasn't normal to place so many shinobi together for one battle. The largest grouping he had seen had been on his last mission and that had only been around seventy. The Hokage must have been seriously worried about the number of Stone nin there were going to be at the battle. He had specified how many enemies they were going to face, but Minato had a feeling he didn't want to know.

A transformation fell over the group as they crossed the border near dusk. It would only be less than an hour until they arrived at the hold. With their goal finally in sight, a new energy coursed through the shinobi. Unconsciously, the traveler's speed increased and the gloomy haze that had surrounded them vanished. The last leg of the journey passed before they knew it.

Minato had to hand it to the Grass Country's nin. They definitely knew how to blend their buildings in with the surrounding environment, a feat especially since the small country contained more types of terrain than Stone and Fire did together. He would have completely missed the hidden hideout had he not been looking for it. It looked like nothing more than a small, grassy hill. Hidden in the brush and unattended grass though, he could make out the outline of a door near the base. The blond had no doubt that there were more exits and other openings dotting the area.

The other teams behind them watched in amazement as he walked over to the trapdoor, and placed his hand on the rough surface. A quick jolt of chakra through the door started the mechanism that kept the door locked just as the Hokage had said. There was a dull click and the door swung into the ground, revealing an empty chamber. Glancing at the rest of his companions, Minato nodded and jumped into the room.

As soon as his feet touched the fresh dirt of the floor, a kunai was pressed against his throat. Blue eyes flashed open in surprise. Not many people were able to catch him off guard. From the surprised gasps from above, the others were in the same situation. "State your business." The husky voice was slightly muffled by the ANBU mask covering the man's face.

"We were sent by Lord Hokage to help strengthen the hold's defenses and prevent Stone from crossing our border." His voice was calm and confident. "The mission log is in my bag if you want confirmation." He felt a deft hand quickly open the pack on his back. The bag barely shifted as the ANBU rummaged through the pack and pulled out the scroll. Another ANBU joined his comrade and pointed a kunai at Minato's neck. The first one looked over the scroll and nodded. The sharp weapon was instantly removed from view.

"Sorry. Just procedure. Can't be too careful nowadays." The man shrugged but didn't give the document back to the blond. "Welcome, Captain Namikaze." Without so much as a sound, the two ANBU left, leaving Minato alone in the room. He called for the others and the silently dropped into the chamber and through a door. The man tried not to laugh at the annoyed look on his youngest student's face. Kakashi had obviously not liked being held at knife-point and unable to do anything.

The door led into a steeply sloped corridor and through another door. They finally ended up in a large chamber that was obviously in the middle of the hill from the rounded roof. The ceiling was at least a hundred yards high and the room was around seventy yards wide, carved out into a circle with seven levels and passages leading off of each level. The middle was left open so everything could be seen from the bottom. Several crates were piled on the bottom, filled with supplies and weapons.

A middle aged woman met them and showed them the layout of the hold, telling another shinobi to inform someone that they had arrived. She then showed them to the barracks, a series of rooms filled with mats for the resident shinobi. Weary from their long voyage, most of the group split up and claimed their mats, putting them to good use once they shed their wet clothes and put on dry ones. Feeling his own energy starting to ebb, Minato found an empty bed. Before he could get comfortable though, Rin jogged over to him with a worried expression her face.

"Sensei, there's someone looking for you." A confused and annoyed frown pulling at his features, the blond got to his sore feet and followed the girl to the front of the room. He tried to ignore the wonderfully tempting call his bed was giving him. Any thoughts of sleep vanished as he saw just who was looking for him.

The shinobi was nearing the latter years of middle age. His long brown hair was sprinkled with grey hair and pulled back into a loose ponytail, his hair framing his face. Intelligent amber eyes watched the inhabitants of the room, not giving any insight to what the man was thinking. Several of the younger shinobi fidgeted under his intense stare. When Minato neared, a broad smile split his face, dispelling the serious air hanging over him. Despite his weariness, the blond felt the same expression slide over his face. The older man's mood was contagious, just like his son's had been.

"Minato!" Minato felt strong arms wrap around him in a friendly hug. "It's good to see you still in one piece."

"Likewise, Haru. I didn't know you were assigned to this area. I would have found a way to get out of this if I had." The young adult tried to keep his face serious, but failed as a smirk made itself known. Haru chuckled and lightly punched the blond on the shoulder.

"Watch it, boy." He succeeded in hiding his joy as much as Minato did. "I swear, I'm surprised the village survived with you and my son running around. You and Ryou always seemed to get into more trouble than even Kami could imagine." Haru chuckled, but there was sadness in his eyes at the memory of his son. The infamous shinobi felt his weariness come back. He was just so tired of mourning the friends he had lost in this useless war. "Well, enough of that." The brunette waved his hand distractedly and pulled Minato into the hall. "The council is meeting and they asked for you to be there. You've certainly made a name for yourself!" The man's infectious cheer wiped away any immediate thoughts of the dead, and indirectly the missing, from the young man's mind. Mention of the war brought the Yellow Flash to the forefront.

The two shinobi walked to the council room, mostly because Minato didn't know if he would have enough energy to stay awake after a transportation jutsu in an enclosed space and he didn't trust his tired mind to not accidently place him in several feet of rock. It was nice to finally catch up with the man who had unofficially adopted him after his parents had died. He felt love swell within as they talked. This man was as much his father as he was Ryou's.

Minato was surprised to find that the council room wasn't any different than any of the other rooms he had seen in the facility. The room was still bare rock and no bigger than normal. The only difference was the wooden table in the middle, maps and scrolls layering ever surface, and the large bookshelves covering the walls. The scholar in the blond gapped in amazement at some of the documents he saw. He itched to just sit down and study some of the older works, but quickly reminded himself of where he was.

There were twelve other shinobi in the room, all older than the blond. They turned to welcome Haru as he took his seat, and Minato leaned against the wall. He had been invited to the council, but that didn't mean he was the same rank as the others. The oldest looking of the group stood up and glanced at everyone. Minato recognized him as the man in charge of the stronghold, Okita Taro. "As you all know, we have all been assigned here to protect the Fire Country's border from Stone. Each of you will be in charge of the squads the Hokage assigned to you. The group that just arrived from Konoha will join Haru's platoon." The man looked at Minato as he spoke and the blond nodded his understanding.

"Now for the reason why I've called a meeting." The tension in the room built as the leader of the hold held out a quickly written report, probably from someone on the battlefield. "We believe that a Stone spy has infiltrated our ranks and is passing information on to the enemy. We don't know how much has gotten through, but we have been unable to discover the spy's identity."

"_That's why they're using ANBU as guards. The ANBU should be able to sense when someone leaves," _Minato thought, a frown marring his features. A good spy wouldn't be caught that easily though. "_And whoever has been able to get into the Konoha without being discovered must be good."_The information didn't bode well with the blond or the others by the look of it. Taro paused to let the news sink in, however unnecessary. Everyone in this chamber knew what a spy or a traitor meant.

"We've been able to find out where the information will be exchanged though, Asioka village just ten miles east of here. A squad will be sent out to catch the spy and find out what information has already been sold to the enemy. The exchange will happen in two days. Haru, I believe you already have a suggestion?" All eyes turned to the brunette.

"Yes, I have. This mission is going to need stealth and speed. Since we have a limited number of ANBU, I suggest we send the next best thing." Haru swivelled in his chair and smiled at the Yellow Flash. "After all, not many shinobi can match up to Konoha's Yellow Flash. His student, Kakashi Hatake, son of the famous White Fang, is also an exceptional shinobi. They could easily complete this mission without Stone ever knowing what happened." The young man felt himself flush with both embarrassment and anger. He had no problem with be volunteered for the mission, but to have it forced on his student was too much.

"Only two," One of the more cynical looking men asked. Haru nodded enthusiastically.

"Two is all we need. Like I said, Namikaze and his student are both excellent shinobi; top of their respective classes. They shouldn't have a problem with a reconnaissance mission. In the worst scenario, they'll have to deal with three or four other shinobi at most." The council seemed to consider this before Taro nodded.

"Alright, Haru. Send another person though, we don't want to take too many chances." Several others nodded and no one offered an argument. "Very well. Namikaze?" Minato straightened as his name was called. "Will you except this mission?" Frowning deeply, the blond sent a quick glare at his friend before nodding. There was no way he could say no. Haru had made a good point. If Kakashi and he went, there shouldn't be much trouble.

"I'll do anything I can for Konoha." His statement left no room for argument and the council seemed satisfied. Haru smiled mischievously at him as Taro gave him a quick list of information about the mission. Minato had to force himself to not glare at him too openly. He was dismissed and slowly made his way back to the barracks, the way already memorized. Everyone else in the room was asleep as he entered. With a quiet grunt, he feel onto the mat and fell asleep, too tired to even think about what he had just agreed to for not only himself but also Kakashi.

* * *

The cold night air instantly woke him up as they stepped outside the base. Wrapping his traveling cloak farther around him, he saw his two companions do the same. The rain had only gotten harder and was now accompanied by lightening. Minato, for the umpteenth time in the last two days, cursed his deceased friend's father. If the man hadn't volunteered him and his student without the blond's consent, Minato would be getting some much needed sleep right now instead of battling the storm.

"You think the rain will let up soon," he asked his female companion as the group leapt into the trees. Cho frowned disdainfully. The woman was only a few years older than he was, with light brown hair pulled into a messy bun and bright green eyes.

"I've been stationed in the base for almost three months now. The first thing I learned was that there are only three types of weather: drizzle, downpour, or this." She elaborated with a wave of her arm at the stormy sky. "I can't wait until this war is over and I get to go back to the Fire Country." Minato tried to not look too disappointed by the revelation. It seemed the last few days had been nothing but wet, cold, and miserable. Kakashi didn't look happy either, playing with the small, new communication device in his ear.

The new invention had just been released to all the shinobi. It was smaller version of the old radios they used to have. The small bud fit snugly in his ear so he could intercept messages without notifying the enemy. Minato pulled the water-resistant hood farther over his head. He really didn't to find out what happened if the device got in touch with water. It was still in its trail period after all.

Thankfully, this journey was much shorter. Asioka was only a few miles away from the border. It was considered one of the few great cities still standing in Grass. Built close to the Tenchi Bridge, many travelers stopped at the village before continuing their journey. Even during war times, the village was still bustling with travelers. It was the perfect place for people to meet in secret.

By the time they got to the town, the sun had risen above the horizon and was nearing its peak. The trio stopped just outside the village's limits and got rid of any sign of their allegiance and profession. Cho and Kakashi decided they would be guised as a mother and son traveling to escape the war. Minato took extra care to hide his bright, yellow hair in a bandana. It wouldn't help if the spy recognized him that easily. Not many people had the dazzling shade. Kakashi hid his Sharingan with a worn eyepatch.

Distinguishing clothing and features hidden, Cho and Kakashi rented a room at the inn for the night while Minato asked around town if anyone had seen a shinobi from Konoha. Any questioning proved futile though. The spy was good. He had made sure not to be seen often enough to gain suspicion. Night fell slower than the Yellow Flash had hoped but he was finally able to get out of the backbreaking rain.

As he slid into the inn, he picked his companions out at one of the tables, enjoying a warm meal and talking amiably to someone at the next table. Minato took a seat at the bar near the shadowy corner. He ordered some sake and prepared to wait, being careful not to drink the alcohol to quickly and dilute his senses and reflexes. He felt his heart rate increase each time the door opened and admitted another costumer or weary traveler. Eventually, Kakashi had to leave the room to avoid suspicion and Cho took a seat farther down the bar.

It was nearing midnight when a cloaked traveler entered, a wall of rain driving in through the opened door. Nothing about his dress or attitude marked him as a threat. Minato had been in the war too long however, to not notice the subtle signs of training in the man's movements. To further his suspicions, the man ordered two drinks and immediately went to sit in a booth in the corner, away from prying eyes. Not much later, the second person needed for the deal entered. This one was obviously more nervous. The hood kept nervously glancing over its shoulder and the stranger's movements were jerky. Minato didn't need to look to know that he quickly joined the first in the corner. Careful not to warn the spy, the blond heightened his hearing with chakra and waited.

"Calm down. You're going to get someone's attention if you keep acting like you killed someone." The first man's voice was clam and baritone. "There's nothing to worry about. No one knows about our little... transactions. Now, what news do you have from the base?" The agitated man nodded and thank a waitress as she brought the two drinks.

"That's what I'm worried about. They know about me. They don't know who I am yet, but it's only a matter of time. They have ANBU guarding the entrance now! I can't keep doing this!"

"You can and will. Stone needs as much information on Konoha as we can get. The Tsuchikage has decided that this war has gone on for too long now. Ever since Jun was murdered, we have been losing the war. We need to get this information so we can hit them hard and fast. It doesn't help that we have still don't know who is ransacking our camps." The man took a deep breath to calm himself and took a swig from his glass. "Do you know if Fire has anything to do with this?"

"No. If they do, I haven't heard anything about it, which means that it probably isn't. But you aren't listening! Fire is getting serious about this. They found out about our plans. They are gathering shinobi to the base as we speak! Another thirty people arrived the other day and the Yellow Flash was among them! You have to tell the Tsuchikage to call off the attack. We don't stand a chance. The last battle he was in he single-handedly took out almost seventy of our men!"

"We can't stop the war just because some punk is on the opposing team. Plus, _he_ has supplied us with more fighters." Minato could hear the smirk in the man's voice. "Konoha is in for a surprise. It's even better that the Yellow Flash is here. It's fitting that the man who caused Jun's death will be killed by Jun's creations." Minato felt his heart stop at the implication.' Jun's creations' could only mean one thing and he didn't want to find out if it was true or not. If Jun's research had been taken up by someone and completed, the tide of war wasn't turning in Fire's favor.

His body tensed as he thought about what he had saw and read in Iwagakure. His stomach flipped and he had to swallow the bile in his mouth.

"Sir? Are you alright," the heavy bartender asked. All eyes were on the blond now and he tried to keep his features turned away from the two in the corner. Cho had turned pale and was trying to find a way to get the attention away from them.

"Oh, I'm sure he's fine." Minato froze as he felt the cold edge of a kunai pressed against his neck. "I can't say if that'll be the true in a few minutes though."

* * *

**MWHAHAHAHAHA! Now we get to the good stuff! I got it out exactly a month after my last post! I just had to finish this after reading the newest Naruto chapter. IT WAS AMAZING!**

**Anyway, I hope you liked the chapter. I already have part of my playlist set up for the next chapter : War, Headstrong, and Frontline! Haha! Thanks to everyone who reviewed. You guys definitely help me get through some of the rather dry parts. Thanks for reading!**

**I don't own Naruto. If I did it would be called Minato. XD**


	4. War's Prisoners

Chapter 4: War's Prisoners

"Oh, I'm sure he's fine." Minato froze as he felt the cold edge of a kunai pressed against his neck. "I can't say if that'll be the true in a few minutes, though."

The bartender paled as he spotted the weapon. The blond heard several of the patrons of the inn gasp in surprise and fear, chairs scraping against the floor as people jumped to their feet. Cho moved away from the two men, hands secretly dipping into her holster strapped to her back. The Stone shinobi paid none of them any attention however, his gaze glued to the blond. Minato tensed as he felt his assailant grab the bandana hiding his hair. The fabric slipped from his head and he felt the enemy nin freeze.

"Well, look at what we have here. I guess the infamous Konoha's Yellow Flash isn't as great as he's built up to be." Minato could hear the satisfied smile in the man's voice. "After all, I just caught him and with just a quick jerk of my wrist," the knife at the blond's neck shifted, biting into his neck and drawing a thin line of blood, "the legendary shinobi will be dead at my feet. Go get the others. I'm sure the Tsuchikage will be happy when we bring him the person who's been causing him so much trouble the past few years." The last part was directed toward the spy who was still in the corner. The nervous man nodded and rushed outside.

"Now, what do we do with you?" Gritting his teeth, Minato put his mind to work and tried to find a way out of this one. It seemed that all his options left him with spilled blood, especially if there were more people outside. He just hoped that none of it was his. The blond could already sense at least five more shinobi heading toward the tavern. The kunai pressed into his neck again and he was reminded of how few options he had. The shinobi at his back was trained and wouldn't let him draw a weapon or preform a jutsu without killing him first.

The door banged open and the stormy weather gusted into the small room. Blue eyes widened as something stung his senses. The sudden gust of wind from the door distracted the Stone shinobi long enough for Minato to channel his chakra. He heard the enemy shout in surprise as his prey disappeared from under his nose in a flash of yellow. The blond landed in a crouch and pulled the three-pronged kunai from the wall it had lodged itself in. Kakashi was watching him, garbed in his regular gear, standing by the stairs that led down into the tavern.

"Thanks." The boy merely nodded and pulled more kunai from his pouch. Minato strapped his hidden pouch on his thigh over his clothing, replaced his special kunai, and joined the boy. "Two men have been confirmed. The one in the black cloak is trained. I can't say if the one in the brown cloak is though. I sensed five more coming this way."

There was yelling from downstairs and the two shinobi heard metal hit wood. People screamed in fear as they were caught up in the fight. Minato gritted his teeth. Praying the little device in his ear worked, the blond touched it and could hear the fight from Cho's end. "Cho! Try and lead them outside. We don't want any of the bystanders getting involved." The relations between the two nations were dismal already. Getting innocent people murdered in a fight would not help improve them. The woman gave a short affirmative before letting loose a battle cry. The man turned to his apprentice. "Kakashi." The boy nodded his understanding and leapt down the stairwell, soon followed by his teacher.

Immediately after landing on the floor, Kakashi was off, kunai flashing across the nearest Stone nin's throat. The man collapsed, blood pooling on the wooden floor, before the others realized two more people had entered the fight. Minato quickly noted that Cho had lured most of the group toward the door. Shuriken flew in his direction and he quickly ducked and retaliated. The two, male Leaf nin barreled through the pack and Cho followed out into the street. The wind and rain beat on them as they exited the shelter of the inn. The door slammed open as the remaining six enemy shinobi gave chase.

The village's boundary ended faster than they had anticipated and they dove into the fringe of the forest. A kunai brushed past Minato's shoulder and embedded itself in the tree in front of them. The blond's eyes widened as he saw the sizzling tag attached to the weapon. "Move!" Without needing to be told twice, his companions jumped away just as the tag activated and detonated. The resulting blast sent them scrambling mid-jump. Minato grunted in pain as his shoulder connected with a rather thick, and hard tree and something cracked. Ignoring the shooting pain in his shoulder, he easily swung onto a lower branch as he fell and pulled more shuriken from his pouch. Kakashi had already engaged the first two enemies as Cho sent a shower of weapons at the others. Gathering his chakra, the Yellow Flash added his own shuriken to the bombardment. "Shuriken Shadow Clone Jutsu."

He waited for the gasps of surprise and pain to leap down from the branch. He didn't trust his luck enough to think that the attack had killed any of the attackers so he made sure to memorize their placement. A quick jutsu sent a slice of wind at the nearest shinobi, leaving a deep gasp through the man's bicep. Seconds later, Minato had to duck beneath a punch aimed for his head. Flipping out of range, the blond sent another kunai at his opponent and winced as the man cried out in pain as it lodged itself in his injured arm.

The blond didn't have time to finish off the injured enemy though as another took his place. Metal glinted in the pale moonlight that filtered through the treetops and clouds. Slanting a kunai in his grip, he deflected the potentially fatal attack and dropped down to deliver a roundhouse kick to his opponent's legs. When his kick was avoided, the blond slashed the kunai at the man. The unpleasant sound of weapon finding flesh was barely audible over the driving rain. He could feel sticky blood starting to coat his hands.

Flicking wet bangs out of his eyes, Minato held up his arm to block a punch. "Ack!" The hit jarred his arm and he mentally cursed the tree from before. He wished he hadn't left most of his specialized kunai behind with his other belongings. He was brought out of his frustrated musing as a leg shot out of the gloom and connected with his jaw. The blond stumbled backward at the unexpected attack and cursed. He had been hoping that the enemy was stupid enough to take them on one-on-one. It obviously wasn't the case.

Grinding his teeth together and willing the pain in his arm and jaw to keep quiet, the blond jumped into the trees to put space between his two opponents and himself. Taking advantage of the few seconds he had gained, the blond quickly glanced around for his companions. Cho had disappeared deeper into the forest along with one of the Stone nin. Kakashi was less than a hundred feet away, fending off his own pair of opponents. Minato's sharp blue eyes spotted the three deep gashes on his student's chest and frowned. They weren't fatal, but it would impede the boy's fighting style. The nervous man from the bar stood farther back, watching the battle.

He was brought back into the fight as a leg flew at his face. Falling backward, he twirled around the branch and landed a kick to the back of his attacker's neck. The man cried out in pain and tumbled several feet to the ground. The blond didn't have time to check if he survived the fall as the man in the black cloak sent pillars of rock at him, splitting the branch into numerous splinters. The man from the inn grinned under his hood, pearly teeth visible in the darkness. "Don't think we're letting you go so easily. The Tsuchikage will pay big for the infamous Yellow Flash."

Trying to rein in his temper, Minato stretched his senses. Three shuriken sliced through the rain. He was too slow to dodge all three at this distance and grit his teeth as a sharp pain flared in his thigh. Blue eyes widened as his heightened senses blared. Minato pirouetted to find the man he had kicked ready to attack. Apparently the fall hadn't been enough to kill him. Twisting around a punch that would have left him gasping for breath, he drove a kunai into his opponent's side, making sure the enemy shinobi was dead this time. Blood flowed over his hand and mixed with the rain in its fall to the ground. Immediately after his attack, he had to throw himself into a flip as the ground flew up at him in a deadly spike.

Narrowing his eyes, Minato felt his chakra rush through him. Slamming his hands together, Minato felt the wind pick up. Maybe the storm wasn't a complete hindrance after all. "Violent Wind Palm Jutsu!" He held his hands out in front of him, the wind channeling along his limbs to shoot a harsh gust of wind at his remaining opponent. The rain mixed with the wind and the Stone nin was hit with cutting wind and racing water. He were thrown back and slammed into trees, the bark cracking beneath him as the wind didn't let up.

It wasn't long though before he was forced to jump away from several rock spires that had tried to stab him. He cried out as one ripped into his ankle. His injured foot pretested as he put weight on it and he fell as he landed. The man in the black cloak jumped at him, kunai ready to deal a debilitating, if not fatal, blow. Grunting, the blond twisted and shifted his weight to his hands. His body twirled out of the way as chunks of the ground flew from the blow. The man's subordinate followed the blond's movements and charged. Kneeling on the ground, the Yellow Flash felt his chakra surge toward his hand and begin to swirl. Rasengan blinked into existence. His opponent faltered for a second as he saw the jutsu, but that was all the time the blond needed. The swirling chakra dug into the Stone nin's chest and he collapsed, blood seeping into the front of the black cloak.

Gasping in pain, Minato looked at his side to see two kunai stuck between his ribs. Cursing himself for being careless, the blond yanked the bloody weapons from his side and tossed them back at the cloaked man he had been fighting. He easily dodged them and charged at the injured blond. Gritting his teeth against the pain, Minato stood and prepared to fight the man.

They clashed, weapons and limbs flying in all directions. Minato punched at the man only to block a kick a second later. The man was fast, but if he hadn't been injured, Minato would have easily overpower him. The odds were against him however. The blood gushing down his side, the pain shooting up his leg and arm, and lack of sleep were making him lightheaded. His movements were becoming sluggish. Kakashi cried out, but the man was unable to help his student.

Minato gasped as foreign chakra flowed into him. He wrenched away and turned to find the nervous man in the brown cloak standing behind him. The blond panted as he felt his body try to get rid of the intruding energy. His muscles jerked as the enemy's chakra seeped farther into his system and played with his own circulatory system. "Damn!" His reserves might as well have been dry for all the good they were doing right now.

A fist shot out and slammed into his temple. Minato retaliated and there was a snap. The blond smirked. At least he'd had the satisfaction of breaking his opponent's jaw before darkness over took him.

* * *

It took less than a second after waking up for him to wish he had stayed asleep. His temple was throbbing in sync with his heart. A film of sweat made his clothes stick uncomfortably to his skin and he moaned. He took it as a good sign though that his stomach and ankle were still trickling blood. He hadn't been out for very long if they hadn't healed yet. Unfortunately, it seemed he had been asleep long enough for a fever to settle in.

"Sensei?" The voice slowly made it through the haze in his mind and he opened his eyes, turning to find the speaker. Kakashi sat next to him, tided to a post. Bruises peppered his visible skin and black bags underlined his visible eye. The cuts on his chest were scabbing over, but a nasty gash on his forehead was still tinting his silver hair pink. The blond had to stop himself from laughing at the ridiculous scene, cursing the fever for eliminating any self-control he had.

"Kakashi? You alright?" The sideways glance the boy gave him told him that he obviously looked far worse than his pupil felt. Knowing the odds of getting a verbal answer, Minato quickly checked their surroundings instead. They were inside a dark tent, tied to the support posts. Rain and wind still battered the fabric, making the structure sway slightly. An empty plate that must have been Kakashi's last meal was the only furniture-type thing in the room."Where's Cho?"

"She either got away or is dead. We're the only living prisoners." The Yellow Flash winced at the implications that last statement had. He had seen what Stone was capable of in the last few years. It didn't take much imagination to figure out how the other prisoners had died. Dread trickled into his stomach as he wondered how long it would be until their captors decided to 'ask' them about Konoha. Kakashi must have been able to read his expression and quickly brought his teacher out of his musings.

"The camp isn't too far outside of Asioka, half a day's travel at most. The one in the brown cloak has some strange ability. I didn't get a chance to copy it before he knocked me out, but I think it's a variation of Gentle Fist. He injects his own into his opponent and cuts off their chakra supply from the inside." The blond nodded, remembering the last time he had fought against a member of the Hyuuga clan. The memory still made him wince even though it had meant to be a friendly spar. "I don't know anyone in Konoha who can do that though." The troubled look on the boy's face told his dislike for the lack of knowledge.

"Which just leaves us with more mysteries as to how that guy was getting information," Minato surmised. He swallowed loudly, his mouth dry and scratchy. His body protested the awkward position of his arms and the stress on his injuries. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep, but his mind fervently resisted. They needed a plan to escape if they had any hope of surviving. "What about guard changes?"

"We've only been here for a little more than a day, but so far the changes haven't been on any pattern that I could see." The cool, evaluating voice the prodigy usually used when relaying information was replaced with a hint of frustration. "Besides, they're using some kind of drug to limit our chakra. Escaping won't be easy." Minato blinked at this new information, surprised to find that he did have the strange lack of energy that only chakra exhaustion brought. His brain also set to work, trying to find a way to use the new knowledge to his advantage.

"How long does it take them to administer the drug?" Kakashi glanced at his teacher but chose not to comment on the sudden change. He had known the man long enough to notice the sparkle in his blue eyes, no matter how glazed over they were.

"Not long. Two or three minutes. They come in every two hours." Minato nodded, a plan already forming in his sluggish mind. After several minutes of silence between the pair, the blond grinned.

"Alright, Kakashi. Here's what you need to do."

* * *

Minato fought hard not to fall asleep as he listened to crickets chirping in the distance.

Night had fallen three hours ago and the camp had quieted down about an hour after that. Now the only noises were the post-storm wind gently moving the tent, the crickets, and the occasional rustle of the guards outside the tent. Kakashi leaned against the post, chin tucked to his chest in light slumber, and both eyes revealed. The boy had dosed off shortly after nightfall, the chakra exhaustion finally getting past the boy's iron defenses.

All that was left for the blond to do was wait. That was all he had been doing since he had explained his plan to his student. Adrenaline pumped through his veins in anticipation, his body ready for the task it would have to do any minute now. It wasn't long until his trained ears picked up the sound of approaching footsteps. Nudging the sleeping boy next to him, Minato watched as a shadow was cast on the tent by a lamp. The prodigy blinked away sleep and tensed when his eyes met his teacher's.

As the footsteps got closer and the person greeted the two guards, the two imprisoned shinobi feigned sleep. The flap to the tent opened with a swish and the person put down whatever burden he was carrying. Minato almost cursed when he felt cold fingers touch his feverish skin. He had hoped that they would try to drug Kakashi first so he would still have energy to fight if the need came. The needle brushed against his skin but Kakashi moved and he heard the man gasp in surprise. Before Minato could even open his eyes, the man was already dropping to the ground, unconscious. Turning to his student, the blond couldn't help but shiver as the Sharingan glowed in the darkness.

Kakashi panted as the genjustu he had used took its toll, no matter how low-level it had been. Letting the boy catch his breath, the Yellow Flash twisted so he could get to the weapon pouch on the man. With some tugging and shuffling, he was able to get a kunai loose and into his hands. The ropes around his wrist fell away and he quickly set to work on Kakashi's. When he was done, the man grasped his student's shoulder. "You alright?" The boy nodded and numbly tied his headband back in its usual position. Without needing to say anything, the two Konoha shinobi crept over to the opening of the tent. They weren't free yet. They still had two guards and an entire camp to worry about after all.

They jumped out as one, kunais courtesy of the unconscious drug man poised to silently kill. Minato stumbled as he hit air, the guards missing from their posts. It didn't take long to find out what had happened to them. A quick glance to the ground revealed two bleeding corpses on the wet grass. Kakashi kneeled down and checked for a pulse, shaking his head. "They're dead," he whispered.

Minato bit his lip. Though an unexpected bit of luck, he wasn't one to take a gift from an unknown source. More than often these days, it was just death dressed in ribbons. A new wave of adrenaline pulsed through his body. He hadn't even heard the attacker and judging from his student's expression, neither had he. Whoever it was, was dangerous and just because they shared a mutual enemy, didn't make them friends. Wishing he had more than a handfull of weapons, Minato motioned for them to move out. They weren't helping their case by just standing there.

That was when all hell broke loose.

The small camp literally exploded in a flash of light and heat. Bits of flaming tent drifted in the wind and cries of pain and anger flooded the night with noise. Before either shinobi could move, more explosions went off and weapons were flying through the air. Shouts in a foreign tongue broke through the noise as the army tried to reassemble themselves to fight off the unknown attacker. Kakashi motioned toward the boundary of the camp and they scrambled to not be hit by a stray weapon.

Shadows dashed across the camp and Minato couldn't pick out any affiliating features. Biting his bottom lip, the blond tried to think of what to do with this new enemy. True, they had given them the chance they needed to escape, but years of war had made Minato cautious. Still, this might be an opportunity to gain some allies against Stone.

He didn't have a chance to decide though as a body flew out of the darkness and his fevered body was too slow to react. The person slammed into him and threw him the ground. He landed with a grunt and he could hear Kakashi do the same, chains rattling from where the boy had landed. The blond was brought back to his situation as a kunai was pressed against his jugular. The person sitting on top of him pulled a piece of fabric from their pouch and held it to his mouth before he could protest. His nose instantly identified it, but it was too late. Chloroform leaked into his lungs and his world darkened.

* * *

**Okay. I have no idea how to make this up to you guys. I know no amount of excuses will make up for this, but I'm sooooooo sorry. I had this typed up awhile ago and then I got into summer homework and forgot to post it. I'm sorry!**

**Anyway, please ignore how mean I am to Minato. I don't know why, but I just enjoy torturing him far too much. :) Also, I tried to research jutus as mcuh as possible, but the information is kind of sparse when it comes to common jutus(no specialized for one person or a clan) and even less with wind techniques that don't involve a fan or holes in your hands. -_- If anyone has a really great website or would like to be amazingly nice and write out some, please tell me! Much appreciated! **

**I will try and have the next chapter up faster this time, but I'm taking three APs this year so... HELP ME! I hope you all had a great summer and have a great school year!**


	5. Resistance

Chapter 5: Resistance

He lost sense of time. His periods of consciousness were fewer and shorter than he would have liked and were no help at all. A fever ravaged his body while he slept and made every waking moment uncomfortable. Most of the time he was caught in the black haziness of deep sleep, dreams flitting across his mind like butterflies: snippets of a conversation with Jiraiya, the coolness of the water as his students played in the river, Ryou laughing at some prank they had pulled off, colorful lights strung about the streets as Konoha celebrated the end of the war and his coronation as Hokage.

He caught pieces of conversation during his semi-consciousness, but they were forgotten almost as soon as he went back to sleep. He tried to convince himself that they might be talking about something important and that he should listen, but his body refused to let him and he found it hard to argue.

He absently wondered if Kakashi was alright and what their attackers wanted, but he found it hard to care. All he wanted was to sleep and forget about the war, his students, his friends, their attackers, everything. No worries, cares, or responsibilities he couldn't handle. Yes, to forget about everything would be nice right now.

Fingers nudged him and he ignored them. Let them think him dead and leave him alone. The poking became more insistent and pain shot through his chest as they prodded the healing wound in his side. He broke through the haze keeping him under with an loud gasp of pained breath.

Minato blinked, trying to get his blurry eyes to focus. His abrupt reentrance to consciousness had brought back all the aches and pains, and his mind raced to try and get everything back in working order. "Oh! You're finally awake!" The voice made him tense as reality hit with enough force to start a headache pounding at his temples. This wasn't a hospital in Konoha, this was unknown territory and he was being held captive by an unknown group. Ignoring the forbidding twinge his head gave, he jumped to his feet and instantly stumbled into a stone wall. His visitor yelped in surprise and he stared at him.

The figure's loose clothing made it impossible to tell what gender he belonged to. The cream-colored, long-sleeved tunic, beige pants, and brown, leather stole he wore however couldn't hid that he was small and frail. A black sash covered the person's head and face, leaving only his pale eyes visible and distorting his voice. Minato's eyes zeroed in on the leather belt secured tightly around his waist with several different pouches hanging off of it. He felt adrenaline rush through his body and give him enough energy to clear his head as he spotted the blood dotting his captor's clothing. Everything about this person was suspicious. He had thought only the Anbu were capable of disguising themselves so well.

" I suggest you lay back down. You'll reopen your other injuries if you keep jumping around like that." A quick glance at his side affirmed that the blood on the visitor's hands was his. On instinct he reached down toward his holster, only to curse his stupidity when he found it missing. They weren't going to just let him walk out of here that easily. Taking a deep breath, the blond quickly discovered just how dismal his chakra supplies were. The person took a step toward him and he ground his teeth together.

His mind worked furiously to find a way out of here with his pathetic resources. The choices were just as pathetic and wishy-washy, and that was if he didn't go to look for Kakashi, but there was no way he was leaving without the boy. The person was talking again, but his mind couldn't take it all in, his wounds and fever catching up to him. The person took another step forward, arms help up.

Now!

With more speed than he thought he could've managed, Minato rushed forward, grabbing his captor's arms in one hand and pinning them down at his side. His free hand was already dipping into pouches looking for weapons as he shoved the person roughly against the wall. A gasp was the only sound from the smaller figure. "You won't find anything to help you in there. It's mostly medicinal herbs and bandages." His voice was calm and the blond felt a sliver of dread pass over him. His hand tightened around the figure's wrists subconsciously. Too many years of war had taught him to be wary when his enemy was this calm. "Can you please let go? I need to bandage your side before it gets infected again."

As if to verify his visitor's claim, his side and head throbbed in unison and he felt the world roll under him. He stumbled and his captor-turned-captive gently steadied him before he could fall. Darkness spotted his vision and as the medic helped him back into the cot, he lost consciousness.

His periods of wakefulness got longer and more frequent after that. He was finally able to learn that the person came every four or five hours to check on him. Every time he checked his bandages and his fever, often giving him something that seemed to lower it so it was bearable before he left. He couldn't find out much about his captors from the healer, besides that they didn't want him dead yet. He couldn't even tell if Kakashi had even been captured let alone was alive. The healer mostly kept to himself and only made small comments under his breath.

The guards at the door and his room were just as informative. The room was little more than a hollow square cut out from the rock it was made from with just enough room for a bed and room to take four steps until he hit the wall. The guards wore no identification or clothing that he recognized solely from just one nation. They wore mostly the same brown, black, grey, and cream, color scheme his healer did, though sometimes in differing shades and styles.

A week had passed before the person finally deemed his fever gone and his wounds closed and mostly healed. The fresh scars he had gained still itched when they pulled at his skin, his ankle still refused to hold his entire weight, and his shoulder was an interesting array of yellows, blacks, greens, and blues, but he could feel his strength returning and his chakra reserves recovering to its usual levels. It gave him a new drive to find a way out of his prison and rescue his student.

He never got the chance though.

Based on the guard's shifts it was near dawn when Minato heard the first signs that something had changed. He could hear the increase in talking and movement above him even through the rock walls. A messenger came rushing into the holding cells' hallway and whispered something excitedly to the guards. He left and the guards then shifted anxiously at their posts for another hour before the blond found out what the commotion was about.

A man strutted down the rough hallway, flanked by two shinobi. His light brown hair and deeply tanned skin easily identified him as from Wind Country descent. He wore no visible headband and had the same clothing as all the other people Minato had seen. A pair of kusarigamas were strapped across his back, the scythe part of the weapons wickedly curved and sharp. The way he carried himself and the hard lines on his face told Minato that the new visitor knew how to use them too and definitely wasn't afraid to do so.

Dread brought the blond's stomach into his throat as the newcomers stopped in front of his cell. He backed away from the small, barred window, but didn't flinch when the man's glare swooped onto him. "Is this him? The man you caught at the Asioka raid?" The guard nodded and stepped aside to let him get to the door. A quick hand signal from the other guard unlocked it and the apparent leader opened the heavy wooden door. "Come with me," he ordered, pointing at Minato. The Yellow Flash felt tempted to sit back down and see what the man would do, but decided to not test his chances just yet. So willingly, the Konoha nin stepped out of his cell , was roughly handcuffed, and forced to follow his escort up a series of stairs and dark hallways.

For the early hour, there were a lot of people running around the complex. Most of them he guessed were citizens of this bizarre city since they were often carrying supplies and their dress wasn't made for the easy movements necessary for ninjutsu. He did spot enough shinobi though to make cold sweat trickle down his back. Getting out of this place might not be as easy he had hoped it would be, which wasn't saying much. His guides refused to look at him, staring stoically ahead. The leader walked ahead of him, obviously not too worried about an attack from behind. The silence made his skin itched and he longed to break it.

"Who are you? Where are you taking me?" Predictably, he was ignored and an unneeded harsh shove to his wounded shoulder proved that they didn't have any attention of doing otherwise. His last question was answered as they turned a corner and stopped in front of huge, wall-to-ceiling doors decorated with so finely detailed carvings that he was instantly reminded of the Fire Council's ornate chambers. The two guards at the doors nodded to the group and moved to push the heavy doors open. Another rough shove propelled him forward and into the giant room.

The first thing Minato noticed was the seemingly endless ceiling, the walls slopping up in the middle to create a tunnel to the surface and allow sunlight to come in. The room was decorated with so many different styles and objects from every country that the blond found his inner scholar marveling over the diversity and culture. His thoughts were dragged away from the decorations when the first of nine people seated around a round table stood up.

"Daichi! You're late," the elderly gentleman with more hair on his chin than on his head growled as he stood. His beady, brown eyes swooped over Minato's form and he frowned further. "Is this him?" The rest of the people at the table turned to stare at him and he suddenly felt self-conscious.

"I'm sorry for the delay, Councilman Riku. Yes, this is him." Minato tensed when the Wind man grabbed his hair and jerked his head back. "I just got word that his fever is gone and his wounds healed. I suggest we figure out what to do with him soon. We can't waste anymore men to make sure a simple prisoner doesn't escape." The group around the table, most likely a council from the looks of it and formality, murmur to each other and Riku nodded.

"Very well." The beady eyes were back on him, sending a sense of foreboding through him. "Send for Noboru." One of the guards at the door disappeared with the customary 'pop' as the jutsu activated and transported him. Less than a minute later, two pops broke the air and he could feel the shift in the air as two bodies materialized.

Noboru was a lanky, skittish man. His chakra was well controlled though and, as he shuffled over to stand next to the blond, Minato felt a sense of panic overcome him. The man who attacked him at Asioka had severely damaged his chakra channels and this Noboru had the same feeling as he did. It had taken him too long to recover from the last attack, he really didn't want to have to do it again, especially since his chakra reserves still hadn't completely returned to normal.

Riku motioned for the Yellow Flash's escorts to restrain him and he couldn't keep himself from straining against their grips. The old man motioned for the thin man to proceed while Daichi looked on with a detached air. Cold hands were placed on his temples and Minato felt foreign chakra once again mesh with his own. There was no aggressive tendency though and he felt himself unwillingly relax. Someone coughed and he realized that Riku had moved from the table to stand before him. The forced calmness unnerved him, but the feeling was wiped away and left him loose and content.

"What is your name? Where are you from?" Time had taught him to be cautious when revealing his identity and he had every intention of lying, but Noboru's chakra shifted and he found himself unable to lie.

"Minato Namikaze. I'm a jounin from Konoha." He fought against whatever force was controlling him, but he was obviously in the hands of someone who was an expert in the human mind. All his attempts were in vain. There were more rushed whispers from the table and the old man frowned in thought.

"Konoha's Yellow Flash?" The talking became more prominent and many shouted out in surprise. Minato nodded, cursing the tiny man holding his head. "What were you doing in Asioka?" His teeth dug into his lip, drawing in blood in an attempt to keep his mouth shut. He did an admirable job too from the mix of surprise and worry that flashed on Riku's face. Unfortunately, it was not good enough.

"We believe that there is spy in our ranks from Stone. Our spies discovered that the information exchange was taking place in Asioka. I was sent to catch the mole. We never meant for it to turn into a fight." The last bit was said freely and sincerely. White eyebrows raised in surprise, but the elder's expression gave nothing else away.

"What did you expect then? To just walk in and kidnap a man and for everyone to sit back and watch?" Minato didn't know how to respond and thankfully, Riku didn't appear to want one. "That's the problem with the Five, they think they can do whatever they want and not answer to anyone. Did it ever occur to you that most of the war is taking place in the smaller countries? If you're so good and noble, why don't you destroy your own land and people? It's _your_ war after all not ours!" The man continued to rant and the blond felt no inclination to stop him. The best thing right now was to try and be as quiet as possible and pray they wouldn't start drilling him on Konoha's dark secrets with him an open book, ready for them to read as they please. Despair threatened to grab him but he steeled himself against his emotions. He was a shinobi, it was his job to be clam and collected. He had let them win if he gave up now. Meanwhile, the councilman seemed to end his rant and turned back to the Leaf captive with angry eyes. This wasn't going to end prettily.

With a deep breath, the blond forced all his recovering chakra at the man invading his mind. Noboru jumped back with a start, nursing his head as the sudden influx of chakra destroyed his precise control. The guards had loosened their grips as Noboru forced Minato to relax and the blond now used that to his advantage. A quick jab with his elbow brought the man at his right to his knees. The next guard was knocked unconscious with a light tap to a pressure point. Minato didn't even wait for the body to hit the ground. He was slamming through the door and racing down the hallway before his mind could even protest about how stupid an escape would be with no weapons and a still-recovering body. The last trick with Noboru hadn't left much chakra either.

People stared in surprise as he bolted past them, ignoring the shouts at his back. Kunai whizzed past him, making him twist around a corner every chance he got. The air thinned out and became colder as he continued to run and his lungs worked to get more oxygen into his body. He hadn't noticed it, but his path had been moving slowly downward and farther into the earth. He felt frustration press in on him. His only chance of escape would be to get out of the system of caves and reach the surface. At the rate he was going, he was literally running away from his freedom. With a deep breath, Minato forced himself to stop running and use the brain he was known for in Konoha.

The hallway continued on until it branched off. The left led to a flight of stairs leading farther down into the huge tunnel system while the right seemed to stay pretty level. Retracing his steps wasn't an option. He wasn't dealing with amateurs and they were sure to be hot on his trail. A quick prick of his senses confirmed that he was being followed and they were closing in.

He took off toward the right branch, praying to whatever god was watching that it would eventually lead toward the surface. Thoughts of Kakashi made his sprint slow to a jog and he frowned. There was no way he was leaving the boy here but trying to find him would most likely only get them both in trouble especially since he didn't think their captors would be so forgiving after his actions in the council room. Careful not to alert anyone to his presence, the blond stretched out his awareness and tried to pinpoint his student's chakra from the thousands in the structure.

He was about to turn down another fork in the hallway when something slammed into his cheek and sent him stumbling into the wall. The object clunked against the stone ground and chain rattled. Pushing away from the wall, Minato turned to face his attacker, fighting the urge to touch his cheek and see what damage had been done. It didn't hurt enough for anything to be broken and there wasn't the sting that usually came with a fresh cut so he wrote it off as a minor injury. The bruise would be an interesting one though.

Somehow, he wasn't too surprised to see Daichi standing at the end of the hall, one of his kusarigamas in hand. The heavy iron ball at the end of the chain swung in easy circles around his hand, the staff of the ax in his other. "You didn't honestly think you were going to get away that easily did you? It may not look like it but this place is just as guarded as Konoha." The man's dark, green eyes watched him like a hawk, ready for any resistance as he walked closer to Minato.

"It was worth a shot." His fingers twitched to hold a kunai, shuriken, anything! He couldn't help but notice just how sharp the blade his opponent wielded was. The odds of him surviving long against the Wind nin without some kind of weapon weren't in his favor. "Do you mind telling me why someone from Suna is all the way out here? This isn't exactly near Wind." That obviously was the wrong thing to say however and he was forced to dodge as the heavy ball and chain flew at his head.

"Don't even try it! We both know what you're doing and it isn't going to work. If you value you life even a little bit, you'll give up now and spare me the trouble of having to fix you again." Daichi continued his slow walk toward the blond, annoyed frown on his face. The sound of more people running down the hallway seemed to surround them, cutting off any escape Minato could have hoped for. He took a deep breath to steady and recollect himself. He only had one option then.

The wall turned out to be an excellent springboard as Minato pushed off and closed the short distance between him and the Wind shinobi. The sudden attack caught him off guard, but Daichi was fast enough to dodge the jab the Yellow Flash made for his neck. The wicked blade of the ax swung at the infamous nin and he twisted in the air to avoid being gutted, ignoring the way the move pulled at new flesh. Whatever hesitation the brunette had claimed at hurting him was obviously gone.

The metal ball came at his head and Minato had to duck again to avoid being knocked unconscious. Thrusting a leg out and twisting on the balls of his feet, the blond kicked his opponent's feet out from under him. Daichi crashed to the ground with a dull thud, but Minato didn't wait to see if the fall had caused any damage. He forced his tired body to move and once again he was sprinting down the hall.

The sound of rattling chain was his only warning before something grabbed his leg and pulled it backwards. His chest and chin stung as they connected hard with the ground. A groan escaped him as his body punished him for not letting himself completely heal. Rolling over to dislodge the chain wrapped around his ankle, he was met with a charging opponent. Bracing himself, he ducked the horizontal swipe the Wind nin made and grabbed the man's wrist. A quick twist made him loose control of the ax and Minato scrambled to pick it up. A wild jab made Daichi back off, his other hand dropping the chain.

It took less than a second to free his leg and Minato made sure to use whatever time he had. The brunette was obviously surprised to have lost his weapon and wasn't making moves to arm himself with the other one on his back. The ax felt oddly weighted in his hand, but the blond tried to mimic the other shinobi's grip as he swung the blade. It took more self control than he thought to not smile when the blade dipped into tan skin and drew blood.

Working around the chain and staff in his hand, Minato brought his fingers together in the necessary signs. "Divine Wind!" The thin air of the tunnels pulled together and compressed at his fingers. He willed the chakra outward and the wind blasted from him, kicking up loose dirt and rocks. The chakra swirled the wind and three tornados twisted to life. They converged on Daichi and blocked the blond from sight.

Gulping for fresh air, Miainto took off toward the split where Daichi had attacked him. He didn't bother to see which one led upward. His only thought was to get away from the Wind nin. The kusarigama would be useless against its original owner. There was no way he could beat someone who was experienced with the weapon in a fair fight.

He took the turn close the wall when bronze leapt out at him. A well-placed elbow struck him square in the nose and he reeled from the attack, the force of the blow making his head crash against the ground. Blood gushed down his lip and he spit the liquid out of his mouth. His vision blurred and darkened at the edges. Blinking the spots away, he couldn't stop his jaw from hitting the floor when he saw who had attacked him.

"Just stay down, Minato. You're only getting yourself into more trouble this way. I swear, I don't understand how someone so smart can be so damn stupid! And people call me reckless!" His mouth worked to say something, but his tongue seemed to not be working correctly.

"Ku...Kushina?"

* * *

Yeah! Now the fun can begin! Sorry for the wait! Hope you enjoyed.


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